Ertz On The Move?

The Eagles have been focused on contracts recently, re-working deals to get under the salary cap. There are more deals to be adjusted, but there is also the need to trade Zach Ertz. It sounds like that might be happening soon.

Multiple teams have called the Eagles about the possibility of trading for three-time Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz, and a deal could happen in the coming days, according to two sources familiar with the talks. @nflnetwork @AroundTheNFL

— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 8, 2021

This would be great news.

Some people will read this as an insult to Ertz. That’s not the case at all. He’s an aging player coming off a terrible season. I think there is a good chance he bounces back in 2021, but not to his previous level. I think age has started to catch up with him and that’s not going away. He can still be a good pass-catcher and an important part of an offense.

If the Eagles were a contender, I’d want him to stay. This team is rebuilding and Ertz doesn’t make sense because of that. Dallas Goedert is better than Ertz right now so the Eagles need him to be the starter and key TE. I’m not sure how Ertz would handle that. He’s very driven and competitive. I don’t know if he could handle being the #2 guy. Brent Celek slid into that role behind Ertz years ago and handled it well. Not everyone is wired the same way.

The Eagles can save money by trading Ertz. They can also add a draft pick. This team needs all the young talent it can get so dealing Ertz makes total sense.

Jimmy Bama has all the contract info on Ertz here in an article.

This all sounds great and makes sense, but it is possible this is another case of Howie Roseman trying to create a trade market. It is easy to wonder why a team would trade for Ertz. The Eagles will have to cut him if they can’t find a trade partner. Why deal for a player you can just wait on?

Some team might think Ertz could be a key addition for them and be willing to make a deal. We certainly have to hope that’s the case. The Eagles aren’t going to get anything of consequence in return. I’d love a fourth round pick, but I’m not even sure about that. There is also the possibility of using Ertz to move up in the draft. Those deals usually happen closer to the draft, but some get done in March.

The key is to get something, whether a pick or some draft value.

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ICYMI: What to do about Derek Barnett: Should the Eagles sign him to an extension or wave bye-bye? https://t.co/YcW7ZV0qYY via @phillyinquirer

— Paul Domowitch (@pdomo) March 6, 2021

According to Domo, the Eagles are talking to Barnett’s agent about an extension.

This is good news. I know some people think the Eagles should just walk away, but Barnett is a young player who has talent. He’s not proven to be someone you can count on to start 16 games and play at a high level, but he is better than some realize. Last year he played in 13 games and started 10. He had 5.5 sacks and tied for the team lead with 16 QB hits.

Barnett will turn 25 in June. He’s an ascending player. He’s not perfect, but he is definitely the kind of player you want to keep around. This does assume the money makes sense. If Barnett demands huge money, that changes things. He isn’t a player you break the bank for.

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John Clayton reports it "looks like" Ryan Fitzpatrick will retire from the NFL after limited interest in free agency. pic.twitter.com/ONR2pkUeD7

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 7, 2021

I know some people liked the thought of going after Fitzpatrick, but it didn’t make much sense to me. He’s not cheap. And he’s wildly erratic. I don’t think he’s the kind of QB the 2021 Eagles need.

That said, it would have been fun to watch him work the Philly media after a good game. Fitzpatrick is quite the showman. He would have made press conferences manadatory viewing.

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